A Shawnee woman suing her neighbors for injuries sustained after she says their dogs attacked her is now hoping for broader changes at the city level. In early August, Elena Asher filed a civil lawsuit in Johnson County District Court against her neighbors after their two dogs — a bull mastiff and a pitbull mix — allegedly attacked her while she was jogging near her house in the Crimson Ridge subdivision in March. Asher was taken to Overland Park Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and told she would have permanent scarring on her arm and leg. She still has tingling and numbness in her left arm, her civil complaint says. Since then, she has spoken openly about her injuries during public comment portions of two Shawnee City Council meetings, asking city councilmembers to change municipal ordinances to address animals that attack people. So far, she says, they are not listening. “It’s just been a struggle to get any real action with it,” she said. “Because in Shawnee — and I didn’t know anything about our dog laws either — but come to find out, if you have an animal that attacks and tries to hurt someone else, there are no laws that require even an impound process.” While Asher spoke about her attack to city council and her councilmembers, she feels she’s gained no momentum with a push for broader changes in city code. The city says it was “saddened” by the attack but feels no ordinances could have prevented it, Doug Donahoo, Shawnee’s communication director, said in an email. “We have been in contact with Ms. Asher and have carefully considered her suggestions,” he stated. “While we appreciate her input, we believe that changes such as restrictions on specific dog breeds and rescue animals would not have prevented this incident.” The city does have codes to address dangerous animals, including Chapter 6.14 of the city’s Code of Ordinances, which addresses the ownership of dangerous animals, including how they are kept and confined. “We understand and have listened to her concerns,” he stated. “While no set of regulations can guarantee complete safety, the city maintains robust codes to ensure the well-being of both residents and pets.” When it comes to bigger dogs, like a bull mastiff or pit bull, in the past decade, the city loosened its control on dog ownership. In April 2016, the Shawnee City Council repealed its breed-specific ordinance that prohibited residents from owning pit bulls in the city, one of a number of Johnson County cities that have rolled back rules against pit bulls in recent years. It was a move that at the time was celebrated by local animal organizations like KC Pet Project. “Our priority remains the safety of our community,” he stated. “A dramatic increase in animal control regulations would have a detrimental impact on the vast majority of responsible animal owners in the community.”
Source: Johnson County Post
